Mandya: An eerie silence pervades Gudigeri in Maddur, Mandya district, hometown of H Guru , the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper who was killed along with several fellow troopers in the terrorist attack in Pulwama , Kashmir.Guru was cremated with full state honours on Sunday, but members of the bereaved family are still distraught. Guru’s death is yet to sink in. Some family members, including his mother Chikkatayamma, visited the cremation ground where she sobbed uncontrollably while remembering her son’s promise that he would return in April and spend time with her.“My son is no more and that is truth,” she said. “If I have a grandson, I will get him to join the Indian Army and avenge the brutal killing of his father and his innocent colleagues.”Mallesh, Guru’s childhood friend, said he intends to join the army and avenge the killing of his beloved friend. “Until now, I didn’t think much of patriotism and the sacrifices made by our soldiers,” Mallesh said. “But with my beloved friend Guru gone, I swear I will join the services. That is the ultimate solace for every Indian.”Meanwhile, locals are demanding that the government build a war memorial at the cremation ground as a testimony to Guru’s “ultimate sacrifice”. They say it will also inspire youngsters to join the forces.“The state government promised that it will build a memorial to Guru, but we fear it would go the way of other similar promises,” said Mallesh. “The government had promised to build a memorial at the cremation ground for those who died in the Kargil war, but no memorial has been built so far.”

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